Maggie
by King12345
Summary: Kinda like my other story The Sister only diferent kinda anyway its not too bad.


My name is Tobias. This is not an Animorph story so I'll spare you  
  
the talk of the Yeerks and the others. This is my life. The ellimist  
  
told me to write this, this story of my past. He told me to remember  
  
humanity, and to write my most important memories. And so I  
  
write this with no idea why I am writing this. The only clue is that  
  
"A peice of your past will come to you soon" whatever that means.  
  
And so I write....   
  
AGE 3   
  
I was living with my uncle when I was three. I was a good kid I  
  
guess, although I had not yet learned to stay away from my uncle  
  
when he was drunk. Anyway, I was on the playground when this  
  
event took place. I was running home when I girl ran into me. I  
  
started screaming, as did the girl. You see what I was looking at  
  
was a exact copy of myself as a girl. And I guess the girl was  
  
freaking out because she was looking at a male copy of herself. She  
  
had long dirty-blonde hair that was out of control. She had the  
  
same face as me only with femine features. There were only 2  
  
differences between us, she was shorter than me and had green  
  
eyes, not blue like mine. We both stood up and stopped screaming.  
  
The girl stuck out her hand and smiled. "My name's Maggie. Whats  
  
yours?"   
  
"Tobias" I said begining to calm down.   
  
"Hi Tobias! Wanna come over to my house and play?" Maggie  
  
asked   
  
"Sure"   
  
Now you have to remember that we were three, and that seeing a  
  
exact copy of yourself didn't faze you all that much. I learned that  
  
Maggie was an orphan, some woman had droped her at an agency  
  
when she was a baby and had no idea who her parents were. She  
  
moved around alot with different rich people adopting her for the  
  
tax reduction then dumping her. Maggie was always tough, even at  
  
that young age. We became best friends fast. Once she saw how  
  
screawed up my Aunt and Uncle were, we started moving around  
  
togeather. If you wanted to adopt Maggie you got Tobias too. We  
  
were like brother and sister. We were living togeather full time and  
  
when someone would do the "Tobias and Maggie sitting in a  
  
tree...." You know the song, Maggie would break thier nose.  
  
Really, she would.   
  
AGE 6   
  
I was living in New York City at the time, it had become a place  
  
Maggie and I lived in alot. It was about 4 in the morning when  
  
Maggie woke me up. "Tobias? Toby? You awake?" Toby was the  
  
nickname that she had given me, and I called her Magret. Both  
  
names annoyed the other person to no ends. I rolled over trying to  
  
ignore her. Then she sat on me. "TOBIAS!!! WAKE UP" Well  
  
there was no point in trying to ignore that.   
  
"What do you want" I mumbled.   
  
"Let's break into the orphanage files." Maggie said with that insane  
  
tone of voice she uses when she has a idioic plan.   
  
I was used to her ideas so I wasn't that suprised. "What for?"   
  
"Well, you know that my adoption agency is in New York. And I  
  
know that they keep records of each adopt-e. So I thought that they  
  
might have a record or somethin' of my parents." Maggie was  
  
always wanting to know who her parents were.   
  
Oh lord I thought, she's serious. "And how are we going to do  
  
this?"   
  
Maggie smiled. "I have a plan."   
  
Maggie did indeed have a plan. And by some marical it worked.  
  
We were now standing in a room that had a computer and lots of  
  
filling cabnits. The adoption agency was small, only 300 people  
  
had been adopted here.   
  
"Tobias, you look in the files, and I'll look in the computer."   
  
I sighed "Maggie I think that the files are locked and the computer  
  
has a   
  
password thing."   
  
She just smiled "Tobias go away I'll take care of the computer.  
  
Here's your key and now get to work."   
  
I was looking for a file that had no name. Maggie didn't know what  
  
her true last name was. So I was basicly looking for a picture. I had  
  
found nothing and was losing my patience when Maggie yelled "I  
  
found it!"   
  
I rushed over, really impressed. "How?"   
  
"Nevermind that Toby. Look! I found files named "Personal,  
  
Parents, Brother, and Homes."   
  
"Try 'Parents'"   
  
"Gee, ya thunk it? Parents? I would never-"   
  
I cut her off. Maggie was one of the most sarcastic people I've ever  
  
known. "Just open it!" Maggie clicked and brought up a screen that  
  
looked like this:   
  
PARENTS: Loren and Jeff *******   
  
OTHER FAMILY: Tobias *******, brother. Birth October 23,  
  
1984 11:32   
  
BIRTH: October 23, 1984 11:40   
  
Maggie and I stared at the screen a moment in shock. No wonder  
  
we looked alike, we were twins! And I was the older one. There  
  
was no point in dining it, the last name was the same, the parents  
  
names were the same. We read on about who had left her at the  
  
agency. It was my Aunt. We went home in silence. When we were  
  
inside Maggie spoke up.   
  
"Umm...Wow, huh?"   
  
"Yeah wow."   
  
All of a sudden Maggie and I just hugged. I was hugging my sister,  
  
my family. We pulled away, both grinning ear to ear. And said the  
  
same thing.   
  
"Oh my god! We're twins!"   
  
After that we mostly lived in New York, never with our Aunt or  
  
Uncle. I didn't like them and Maggie couldn't belive they didn't  
  
even try to take care of her. Once we were ten we lived on our  
  
own, being reconized as adults in the goverment. Our parents were  
  
very rich and we lived off the money they had and they were still  
  
collecting from the stocks they had invested in when they were  
  
alive. We grew up too fast I suppose but we were happy. Maggie  
  
was growning up to be stunningly beautiful and we still looked  
  
alike, although Maggie hated the fact that she was shorter than me.  
  
I was always dressed in style because Maggie loved buying me my  
  
clothes. She was the wild twin and I was the calm, sane twin.  
  
Maggie and I lived perminatly in New York and made alot of  
  
friends. I wasn't picked on like I was when I was a human  
  
Animorph. Maggie and I both hated water and would get sick at the  
  
same times.   
  
AGE 11   
  
I was coming home from school one day, Maggie was in detention  
  
for hitting someone. Maggie was a strong girl and if you got her  
  
mad you were in trouble. Some boy had called her a dumb blonde  
  
and Maggie got a tad mad. Anyway, I got out of the taxi and  
  
headed up to the apartment. I open the door to find that Mike, my  
  
best friend and Marcy, Maggie's best friend were waiting for us.  
  
Then I saw the woman. I women with long dirty-blonde hair and  
  
green eyes. She was tall. She was my Mother, Loren.   
  
Marcy smiled at me. "Tobias this is your mom! Her name is  
  
Loren."   
  
A few hours later Maggie, My mom, and I were sitting at the  
  
kichen talking. Well actually Maggie was yelling and I was just  
  
sitting there.   
  
"YOU MEAN TO TELL US, MOTHER DEAR, THAT YOU  
  
JUST LEFT. YOU GAVE TOBIAS AND I TO THE DRUNK  
  
UNCLE AND THE I'M-TOO-BUSY AUNT? WHO JUST  
  
HAPPENED TO ME OVER TO AN ORPHAGE?" Maggie's eye's  
  
always get greener when she gets mad. They were like emeralds  
  
now. Our mother looked like she was sorry she had come. I had to  
  
step in.   
  
"Maggie? Shut up. Loren? explain." I suddenly felt all this anger  
  
boiling up in me. I mean my mother had left me! My Mother.   
  
Loren looked up. " I don't have one. I was really hurt when your  
  
father died. And didn't think I could take care of you. So I gave you  
  
over to my sister and her husband."   
  
Maggie glared at her "This is bull shit Tobias. She left us. Thats  
  
reason enough to just kick her out." I was about to disagree when  
  
Loren spoke up agian.   
  
"I understand that your angry and frusterated. All I need is some  
  
money." Maggie looked down at the ground.   
  
"Thats why you came looking for us?" I asked. I was angry now.  
  
"You need money?! I don't think so. We thought for all these years  
  
that you were dead. My Aunt and Uncle told me that. Leave."   
  
"But--"   
  
"LEAVE!!" I roarded. And that was that. She left. Maggie and I  
  
were to say the least angry but we were more hurt. We had always  
  
wanted a family we had always wanted to be children. Maggie and  
  
I then changed a bit I suppose. We never wanted help from anyone  
  
but each other. Our friends understood a little. But they had always  
  
had it easy. But soon we were normal Tobias and Maggie. We  
  
stuck togeather. Even through the constient arguing. Maggie and I  
  
could get into a fight over anything.   
  
AGE 12   
  
I was falling asleep in Math when Ms. Windit called on me. Ms.  
  
Windit never liked me very much. In fact she hated me. Ashley  
  
poked me in the back to wake me up.   
  
"Tobias? Answer the problem." What problem? I wondered. The I  
  
saw Maggie pointing to a few numbers on the board. The answer.   
  
"Ummm....1293.34?" Ms. Windit sort of snorted.   
  
"You now have different homework from the rest of the class.  
  
Write a 100 word essay on albebra."   
  
"What? Why?" Maggie asked. "I.... Whoops...I mean Tobias got it  
  
right!" Maggie's eyes got big and slapped her hands over her  
  
mouth. Just then the bell ringed.   
  
Maggie came up to me at my locker. "God Tobias. You could have  
  
gotten me in trouble!"   
  
Hey! You were the one who gave me the answer! You could have  
  
gotten yourself in trouble!"Maggie and I glared at each other. She  
  
opened her mouth and..   
  
BBBBBBBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG!!!!!!   
  
The bell for 3rd period. I had Home Ec. So did Maggie. Behind me  
  
I heard Marcy and Mike talking.   
  
"Oh man! I hope they don't get into another food fight. Last time  
  
they trashed the whole Home Ec. room!" Marcy whined   
  
"Dream on" Mike said.   
  
So we got into a little food fight. A big food fight. And so what  
  
that we had to spend lunch cleaning it up? NO reason get sent to  
  
the princeable's office. After all that Maggie and I mad up and got  
  
the mail.   
  
"Hey Maggie? There's something for you in here." I handed her the  
  
offical looking envolope.   
  
"Oh my god" She whispered. She tore open the envolope and took  
  
out the letter.She started screaming "I got in Tobias! I got in!" She  
  
jumped up and gave me   
  
a big hug.   
  
"What did you get into?" I was very confused.   
  
"Remember the Europe travling school that I applied for? I was  
  
accepted! I leave in two months."   
  
"Thats great!" How long is it for?   
  
"Umm...two and a half years"   
  
"Two years" I yelled   
  
"Yeah and there's more. I can only send you letters and because we  
  
go around everywhere you can't send me a letter in time for me to  
  
get it." Maggie lookedup at me with question in her eyes.   
  
"Maggie, you have to go. I know its alot of money so I'll live with  
  
my Uncle and Aunt untill you get back so we can pay for you to  
  
go."   
  
"Really? You don't mind? But-"   
  
"No buts your going."   
  
I stoped writing. I remembered Maggie though being an Animorph  
  
of course but know I remembered something important. She would  
  
ge coming back into America in two weeks.   
  
#2: The Meeting   
  
MAGGIE   
  
My name is Maggie. The daughter of Elfangor. Anyway, you  
  
already know about the Yeerks so I'll spare you. But you don't  
  
know about me. I've fought the Yeerks all my life. I do have the  
  
morphing power but that's not what I usally use to fight. I'm half  
  
Ellimist. I don't have magical powers and I am not a mind reader. I  
  
am stronger than anything on Earth-or off it for that matter. I can  
  
fight Hork-Bajir, Andalites, and anything else you want to throw at  
  
me. I am smarter than any Andalite (But don't tell them that or  
  
they'll just get there "I'm so arrogant I can't look down at you little  
  
things" aditude) I've been in Europe for the past 2 and a half years.  
  
You might be wondering how I get all my information on the  
  
Yeerks. Well, the Chee have a net of information that I break into  
  
time from time. I can access any file except the one marked  
  
"Andalite Bandits" The Chee don't know I exist. The idea of  
  
Androids living among us never fails to creep me out.   
  
I'm on the last hour of my flight to America and I can't wait to see  
  
my twin brother, Tobias. He better be there waiting for me at the  
  
Airport.   
  
TOBIAS   
  
I had called a meeting to tell everyone about Maggie. I felt like I  
  
should tell them in my meadow, I felt more at home. Once  
  
everyone was there I told them, or I tried to.   
  
Hi everyone, I need to tell yo-- I started   
  
"Bird-Boy its Saturday. You have to sleep in on Saturdays." Marco  
  
whined   
  
"Shut up Marco...Tobias?"   
  
I felt nervous all of a sudden, Well, I have a twin sister, her name  
  
is Maggie. She's been in Europe for all this time but she'll be home  
  
at Five o'clock tomorrow. I let out in a long thought. The others  
  
sorta stared at my for a second.   
  
"Tobias? Why didn't you tell us about her sooner?" Cassie  
  
questioned   
  
I don't know. I wasn't really human for a while when I met you  
  
all, then I was trapped. I guess I didn't really think about human  
  
stuff. Marco looked like he was about to yell but Jake cut him off.   
  
"Where does she fly in?"   
  
In New York City on USAir.   
  
"If we can get on a train early on tomorrow we could make it."   
  
No, No I quickly objected I can go by myself   
  
"No way!" Rachel said "I'm not missing my first chance to see a  
  
relative of Tobias'"   
  
I would have smiled if I could have And if you just have to shop  
  
you'll just have to deal with it?   
  
Rachel winked up at me "I'll just have to sacrifice the time."   
  
Cassie spoke up "I hate to say this but I can't go. My Mom and Dad  
  
are making   
  
me do a family thing." She made a face "There's no way I can skip  
  
out."   
  
"Neither can I." Marco looked up at me "Sorry"   
  
I told you I want to go alone! I exclaimed, I little harsher than  
  
expected.   
  
Jake raised his eyebrows and shrugged "If you want."   
  
RACHEL   
  
I was pissed at Tobias. Why didn't he at least tell me? We're  
  
close...very close. Suddenly I heard the familiar taping at my  
  
window. Rach? Can I come in?   
  
I closed the book I was reading and opened the window. "Hi" I  
  
whispered   
  
Hi Tobais answered Listen Rachel...if your mad that I didn't  
  
tell you all about Maggie he trailed off.   
  
"No, Tobias" I said "I'm mad that you didn't tell me about  
  
whats-her-name."   
  
Maggie.   
  
"Whatever. And now you won't let us go with you? Why?"   
  
Because, because...   
  
I realized what he was doing now. "Oh my god. You are thinking  
  
about trapping yourself as a human Aren't you?" Tobais' only  
  
response was looking down at my desk. "Tobias, go to human."  
  
Once he was to human I gave him a big hug. I know it was selfish  
  
but I was glad that he was thinking this way. "You have clothes for  
  
when you get there?"   
  
"Yeah. Listen Rachel-"   
  
I cut him of "No Tobias, don't pick for us or the Yeerks. Do what  
  
you want to do."   
  
"Bye Rachel."   
  
"Take care of yourself Tobias."   
  
MAGGIE   
  
I was going to kill him. I get here and guess who's not here? That's  
  
right Tobias. And its more than that. He's missing, none of our  
  
friends know where he is. They figured he ran away. And our  
  
super-duper guardians are clueless too. Thats it I told myself, I'll  
  
kill him. Just as soon as I figure out that he's safe I'll kill him. Sure  
  
I got in on Saturday and not Sunday like I was supposed to but who  
  
cares? TOBY'S missing! I was at Bloomingdales spending money  
  
like anything....there is no emotional problem shopping cannot  
  
solve. Marcy, my best friend was looking at me worriedly  
  
"Ummm..Maggie? Are you OK?   
  
"No, I'm not 'ok' Marcy, my brother is missing!! My brother!!!   
  
"Omygawd! TOBIAS"   
  
"Yeah he's missing."   
  
"No! Tobais! He's over there!!!"   
  
TOBIAS   
  
I went to Bloomingdales looking for Maggie, where else would she  
  
be? Then I heard Marcy scream "Tobias" and saw Maggie running  
  
towards me. She jumped up and gave me a big hug. "You're  
  
alive?!" I smiled, I hadn't realized how much I had missed her until  
  
that moment. I held her out at arms length. She look older. But she  
  
was still Maggie. Green hair, dirty-blonde hair. "Good to see you  
  
again Maggie"   
  
"Yeah. Now," She smacked me in the back of my head, "Where  
  
have you been for the past two years?"   
  
Oh..ummm.." I glanced at Marcy she mouthed the words good luck  
  
"Here and there, I stayed with friends" And in a tree I added  
  
silently.   
  
"Tobias, I don't buy that but I really don't care. You need a hair cut  
  
and new clothes. Let's do it."   
  
MAGGIE   
  
Ok, Ok I admit it what I said earlier sounded totally like a Valley  
  
Girl but I was looking for an excuse to talk to Tobias alone,  
  
without Marcy. And he did need a haircut. After all that we went  
  
home. I walked in and almost immediately Tobias asked if he  
  
could use the bathroom, and he kept on checking the clock. I think  
  
that sounds a little suspicious, don't you? And then, about two  
  
hours after that he did the same thing. I was beginning to think it  
  
was Visser Three morphing Tobias to trap me, like he did a while  
  
ago. I crept over to the door and looked in the peep hole. I saw  
  
Tobias half morphed. That's when I started to scream.   
  
TOBIAS   
  
Whoops! I was guessing that Maggie saw me half demorphed. I  
  
finish and run back outside. Maggie had really wide eyes.   
  
"My god, you can morph!!!!" She managed to stutter out.   
  
That surprised me "Yeerk?"   
  
"No! Yeerk-fighter." We both stared at each other for a moment.   
  
"This is what we call a breakdown in communication" Maggie said  
  
dryly   
  
"How long have you been fighting?"   
  
"All my life, and you?"   
  
"Two and a half years"   
  
"Wow! I can't believe the Ellimist didn't tell me, Crayak too for  
  
that matter."   
  
"You know.."   
  
"Yeah, you see I'm half Ellimist which makes me really strong and  
  
smart but I also have the morphing power. And Crayak hates me  
  
but he is sort of a blabbermouth. You see Tobias, I've fought the  
  
Yeerks and Crayak all my life. Now you tell me your story."   
  
"Well, I'm stuck in Morph as a Red-tailed Hawk and then the  
  
Ellimist gave me back my morphing powers. I fight with Rachel,  
  
Jake, Cassie, Marco, and an Andalite named Ax. And Ax is our  
  
Uncle because Elfangor is our father."   
  
"Oh I knew about Elfangor. So you all are the "Andalite Bandits?  
  
That's good. I really don't like Andalites much. One thing, would  
  
you like to be human again, with the morphing powers?"   
  
AX   
  
I was worried about Tobias. I was also a little mad. I would have  
  
liked to know that my brother had a daughter. It was Monday and  
  
all Animorphs were in school. None of us had heard from Tobias  
  
and were all worried. I wondered if he had found Maggie yet. She  
  
sounds like an interesting person from what Tobias had told us.  
  
Just then two humans walked on to my scoop. On pure instinct I  
  
whipped my tail at them. Amazingly the female caught it and threw  
  
it back at me. It was then that I realized that one of the humans was  
  
Tobias, although he looked older and the other looked a lot like  
  
Him. That must be Maggie.   
  
MAGGIE   
  
"Yeah you're right Tobias, they'll accept me with open arms" I said  
  
jokingly. I put out my hand, "Nice to meet you. I'm guessing your  
  
Ax. I'm Maggie."   
  
Tobias? What have you done? She knows everything now!   
  
"Ok, first of all you can ask me things. Second I already knew  
  
about everything. I've been fighting the Yeerks all my life and I'm  
  
half Ellimist. I also did something you could never had dreamed of,  
  
I gave Tobias back his morphing power and aged him those two  
  
years that he had missed out on." I'm sorry but I told you that I  
  
didn't like Andalites much.   
  
Ax managed to let out a Oh.   
  
Tobias smiled (he caught on to face expressions pretty fast). "Ax,  
  
she's telling the truth. I'm totally human again with the morphing  
  
powers. We bought an apartment and we're having our stuff moved  
  
down."   
  
RACHEL   
  
After we had gotten out of school Ax had asked us to come to  
  
Cassie's Barn for a meeting.   
  
"Ax, what's this all about?" I asked a little annoyed   
  
Tobias is back with Maggie. And   
  
"And he's human with the morphing powers." A voice said behind  
  
me. Tobias! I ran   
  
up to him and kissed him before registering what he had said.   
  
"What? How? Is that Maggie?" I asked pointing to the girl next to  
  
Tobias. This girl was beautiful! And looked almost exactly like  
  
Tobias except she was a she and was short with green eyes.   
  
The girl-Maggie grinned "Yes I am. And you must be Rachel." She  
  
nudged Tobias. In a stage-whisper she said "Wow Toby, you're  
  
right. She is pretty." Tobias blushed. Then I noticed something  
  
about him. He was older, and had I nice haircut.   
  
Tobias looked down at me "Maggie has fought the Yeerks for a  
  
long time. She is half Ellimist and gave me my morphing powers  
  
back as a human."   
  
"And I aged him a few years." Maggie smiled "You gotta love me."   
  
MARCO   
  
Wow! What a babe! I mean wow. Anyway Maggie and Tobias got  
  
all settled in and went back to school. But not our school.  
  
Noooooo..... They couldn't risk Chapman seeing them. Rachel and  
  
Tobias were all lovely dovey and all I got was looking at the  
  
goddess Maggie. Jake decided that she was part of the team so we  
  
told her all of our secrets. Even the Chee, which made Maggie us  
  
about how she had broken into the Chee's network over the years.   
  
#3: The Entrance   
  
TOBIAS   
  
"TOBIAS!!" I heard Maggie scream out as soon as she got in the  
  
house. Uh Oh I thought "In here." "Jeff found out that I liked him!  
  
And what a coincidence it is that you're his best friend. WHY?  
  
Why did you tell him?"   
  
I laughed "You like Jeff?"   
  
Maggie rolled her eyes at me "No I just get all dressed up for the  
  
purpose of amusing myself when he comes--" Maggie narrowed  
  
her eyes "You didn't know that I liked him?"   
  
"Of course I didn't, you never tell me anything. Who else did you  
  
tell?"   
  
Maggie thought about that for a moment "Jo. But I don't think.."  
  
She shurruged "Oh well." And plopped down on the couch next to  
  
me.   
  
"Hey!" I exclaimed "You act like you're going to kill me and when  
  
its Jo that told him you just shrug it off?"   
  
Maggie smiled at me "You know it. Jeez Toby relax."   
  
Now I was mad "Stop calling me Toby."   
  
"I'll call you anything I want!"   
  
It was a normal afternoon in our house.   
  
JAKE   
  
We were heading up to Tobias' and Maggie's (well all of us except  
  
Ax) house when we heard the fight going on in thier apartment.  
  
Marco groaned   
  
"Ahhh.. the sister-brother love of it all."   
  
We open the door with the spare key that Maggie gave us and the  
  
fight quickly   
  
ended.   
  
"Bird"   
  
"Ellimist"   
  
Cassie rolled her eyes. "What now?"   
  
Maggie looked at us all "Nothing, absoulty nothing. Want anything  
  
to drink." And gave Tobias a look that said you tell them you die.   
  
Rachel gave Tobias a peck on the check and sat down next to him.  
  
Maggie came out of the Kitchen and threw sodas at us. "Whats this  
  
all about?" Tobias asked.   
  
Maggie went into her room and for a second it looked like Marco  
  
was going to fallow her I stopped both of them with a glace. "Erek  
  
has some news for us."   
  
Suddenly Crayak appered in frount of us. The real Crayak, not on  
  
of his workers. "Hello." He began using a true voice. "How nice to  
  
see you all agian." He looked at Maggie with shock and fear. "And  
  
always a pleasure, Maggie."   
  
Maggie laughed a cruel laugh, "What do you want Crayak? We  
  
don't have the time nor patience to deal with your crap."   
  
Crayak re-appered in frount of us and grabbed me. "If I do not get  
  
Elfangor's children now, Jake will die." Maggie stepped forward. "I  
  
don't think so Crayak, Honey." Then she hit Crayak square in the  
  
jar and sent him reeling. "Go Maggie" I heared Rachel whisper.  
  
Cassie grabbed me and gave me a hug. Just then Maggie did-well  
  
lets just say it wasn't pretty. Crayak flew into a vortex that had  
  
appered in the back of him....and he took Tobias with him.   
  
RACHEL   
  
"Tobias!" I screamed and tried to do after him. Maggie grabbed me  
  
and threw me onto the couch. I sometimes forget how strong she is.  
  
She was right of course, but we had to do something! He might get  
  
killed. We could...maybe....a million thoughts flew through my  
  
head. They were broken when Maggie screamed "ELLIMIST!!!!  
  
GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!" With that he appered in  
  
frount of us.   
  
"WOH!" Marco exclaimed "You can do that?"   
  
"Looks like I can." Then Maggie turned to face the Ellimist "What  
  
happened? Where is he? AND why didn't you stop them?"   
  
The Ellimist looked at her with his usual calmness CRAYAK  
  
TOOK TOBIAS, HE IS IN CRAYAK'S REALM AND BECAUSE  
  
I COULDN'T   
  
Maggie narrowed her eyes. "How do we get there?"   
  
I CAN ONLY ALLOW ONE OF YOU TO GO. I WILL  
  
TRANSPORT THAT ONE. AN..INTERESTING SITUATION  
  
HAS ARISED BETWEEN CRAYAK AND I, HE IS BEGINING  
  
TO BECOME A MORTAL AGIAN AND BEFORE HIS  
  
POWERS COMPLETELY DISAPPERED HE MADE A REALM  
  
EVEN I CAN'T PENATRATE. LUCKLY I AM ABLE TO  
  
TRANSPORT A INDIVIDUAL INTO IT. HE WISHES FOR  
  
TOBIAS AND MAGGIE TO JOIN HIM. I WILL BE BACK IN 15  
  
MINUTES TO COLLECT THE TRAVLER   
  
"Gee, thanks for the help." Maggie said dryly "I'll go."   
  
Thats when I did the biggest mistake of my life, "No way,  
  
Maggie...I'll go."   
  
"WHAT?!" Maggie exploded "No offence Rachel but I'm the best  
  
fighter here."   
  
"And I'm going"   
  
VERY WELL RACHEL, I WISH YOU LUCK   
  
#4: The Death   
  
TOBIAS   
  
Crayak took a step towards me and shows me what has happened  
  
at my house,   
  
Rachel volutering to save me, Maggie screaming at the Ellimist  
  
and everyone else just looking confused. The last thing I see is  
  
Rachel going into the Vortex I've been trapped in. Crayak comes  
  
over to me. "Well, well, well it looks like Rachel's trying to get  
  
herself killed once more, to bad that I'll-"   
  
"Don't you touch her Crayak, I'll kill you if you do. I'll honest to  
  
God will."   
  
"Tobias, you dumb human, this is what I planed on. Yes I want you  
  
and Maggie but I've waited this long. I want Rachel now." He  
  
smiled at me "You do know that Rachel is experiencing your worst  
  
memories right now. Well you do now. Think about how she will  
  
be dusgusted of you when she finally gets to you. Think about it."   
  
RACHEL   
  
I was suddenly in a blue tube that flashed pictures and thoughts on  
  
it's walls. The Ellimist had told me about this, he told me that I  
  
would encounter Tobias' memories. Thats when Maggie had really  
  
started to scream. She seemed to have been worried that I wouldn't  
  
be able to take it. I was thrused forward into a picture that was   
  
projected.   
  
I was Tobias when he was trapped, completly as a hawk. I had I  
  
feeling it was early on in the fight. Tobias was thinking how  
  
relaxed he was and maybe he should pay me a visit. Then it  
  
happened the hawk suddenly took over and went for a mouse in a  
  
field. Then Tobias, my sweet loving caring Tobias began to feed. I  
  
felt the human Tobias suddenly take control and I heard him  
  
thought scream. He bolted to the mall and on towards  
  
Rachel...errr..me. I was in the Mall for a gymnastics compedition  
  
and saw a bird come flying at me. I remember being worried and  
  
shocked, and then such consern as he hit the wall..   
  
I was yanked back into the vortex and was badly shaken. I wanted  
  
to hold him and kiss him, to make sure he was alright. I realized  
  
what I would be seeing now. Whenever I thought about Tobias  
  
eating like a hawk I had cringed. That was what bothered me most,  
  
and thats what Crayak would show me.   
  
CASSIE   
  
I was running towards the woods where Ax lived. We had thought  
  
we all should be in one spot. I was scared for Rachel and Tobias.  
  
And even though Tobias was in more danger I was more worried  
  
about Rachel, we had all heard what the Ellimist had said, about  
  
reliving Tobias' past. Sometimes, just not very often, Tobias would  
  
come and talk to me about hawk things because he knew that they  
  
creeped Rachel out. I hoped that she would be able to manage. I  
  
found Ax and he morphed to human and we walked to Maggie's  
  
and Tobias' appartment as I filled Ax in.   
  
MAGGIE   
  
I was standing gaurd at the refrigerator, as I always did whenever  
  
Ax payed us a visit. He had this little habit of eating all of the food  
  
in the house when he came over. Although that wasn't my main  
  
corcern at the moment. I worried for Rachel, not for Tobias. Tobias  
  
had powers that I can't even compare to, although he doesn't know  
  
what they are yet. As it is, I only know one. I can't hurt Tobias.  
  
Even though I try to tune out my streagh when trying to steal a  
  
remote or something he could block me. Tobias just thinks I'm  
  
being nice but the truth is he could hurt me even if I use my full  
  
streagh. This only works with me though not in a battle or  
  
whatever with other people. Wierd huh? Then agian I don't think  
  
the children of Elfangor could be anything but strange.   
  
I was also scared for myself. The others don't know it but Crayak  
  
has an ability to convert people to his side. Once he finds a  
  
vulerable place to strike he can take that person. And if he did that  
  
to Toby I would be killed. Its almost ironic, the person who has the  
  
best chance of killing me is the only one who's ever loved me.   
  
JAKE   
  
I was watching Maggie. Something was wrong with her. She  
  
looked..scared. Something that I haven't seen even when she faces  
  
20 Horks in battle. I knew she was worried about Tobias and  
  
Rachel but she was usally so good at hiding emotions. I suddenly  
  
felt selfish, what? Isn't Maggie allowed to feel? Cassie wasn't back  
  
with Ax yet so I was the only other person she could talk to, Marco  
  
is not a good person to talk about feelings with. I cationsly stood  
  
up and went over to her. I gave he enough warning, last time I  
  
didn't I ended up with a broken nose.   
  
"Hey" I said "Want to talk about it?"   
  
She looked suprised "Do I ever want to talk about it?" She smiled  
  
at me "Sure why not."   
  
Marco look at me suprised "Wow Jake, youv'e been hanging  
  
around Cassie too much." Then he turned his attention to Maggie,  
  
"What's wrong?"   
  
Maggie must have changed her mind about talking about it because  
  
all she said was, "Oh nothing really, just worried about them."   
  
RACHEL   
  
I had just emereged from yet another memory, luckly I had been  
  
wrong about what Crayak would show me. It wasn't just when  
  
Tobias was a hawk. It was his whole life. I was getting sick of it  
  
too. All I wanted was to get this stupid mission over with and go  
  
home. I needed to talk with Tobias and see if he was alright. I  
  
hoped so, I was worried about what Cayak might be saying to him.   
  
I was pulled into a new memory only this one was not one of  
  
Tobias'. It was Maggie, a little girl Maggie, fighting and killing. It  
  
was imposable odds, she could only have been 7 at the time but she  
  
won, and all of the yeerks had been killed, by Maggie, with her  
  
own hands. She was covered in blood, as soon as she had gotten to  
  
a house (this must have been a time when she didn't live in NYC)  
  
and washed all the blood off her. Maggie then crept inside and  
  
went to bed.   
  
I was back into the good ol' vortex and relaxed. It was then that I  
  
realized how alike Maggie and I were. I was put into a new place.  
  
A place that seemed real, not a memory. Then I saw Tobias laying  
  
in a pile of his own blood.   
  
TOBIAS   
  
I was still captured and was begining to wonder if Rachel had  
  
given up. I cared about her and wouldn't want her to die because of  
  
me. I heard Crayak behind me. "Is that so Tobias? Here's a deal.I  
  
won't kill her if you kill me. I shut me eyes briefly before  
  
answering. "Deal"   
  
The battle was the worse I've ever experienced in my life. Crayak  
  
was now a mortal but a mortal who was VERY VERY strong. He  
  
took me throght and started to strangle me. I somehow got free of  
  
his grasp and push him away from me. Then it hit me. If he didn't  
  
have anyone to kill he would die. The Ellimist had said if himself   
  
"Crayak lives off the fear of others. He was now mortal though still  
  
Crayak. And now that he could only stay in one place he could  
  
only feed off my fear. I realized what I would have to do, if I killed  
  
myself there would be no more fear. Crayak would die, the thret  
  
that Crayak had placed on my friends would disapear, and maybe,  
  
just maybe the Yeerks would all die.   
  
I picked up the knife and stabbed myself. The pain was terrible,  
  
and I cried out to Maggie and Rachel. But they never came. The  
  
last thing I saw was Crayak, dead.   
  
MAGGIE   
  
I was laying on my bed when I heard it. I single voice, that sounded  
  
like Tobias called out. "Help me." That was all I needed to get  
  
myself going. I went out to dig up the Time Matrix. And get into  
  
that damn Vortex.   
  
#5: The Death   
  
RACHEL   
  
I felt like my chest was about to explode, I wanted to hurt, to kill  
  
whoever did this to my Tobias. But all I did was cry and let my  
  
tears fall on his face. I slowly got up, and looked around for clues  
  
to..to anything! My foot suddenly hit something soft. I looked  
  
down and soon realized it was Crayak. A dead Crayak. Tobias  
  
must have...but why was he dead? The air opened in front of me,  
  
like the Ellimist does. Only it wasn't the Ellimist, it was Maggie.  
  
She looked at me and looked confused   
  
"Where's Tobias?" She asked before seeing the body. Then she  
  
screamed and rushed over to him. Maggie tried everything before  
  
sitting down, defeated.   
  
"He's dead isn't he?" She asked me and looked about to break down  
  
in tears. Only she didn't, instead she offered me her hand. "We  
  
have to go, who knows what will pop out next."   
  
"Yeah," I managed to pull the words out of my brain. "Yeah, we  
  
should go."   
  
MAGGIE   
  
Everyone had gone home, most crying. Cassie was having Rachel  
  
over so they wouldn't have to explain why she was upset. Most of  
  
my fellow Animorphs were crying, they all were blaming  
  
themselves. Except me. Do you want to know a secret? I've only  
  
cried twice in my life. Those two times were the lowest points in  
  
my life, and Tobias was there both times, conforting me, helping  
  
me cope. I ran though every idea in my head that might be able to  
  
bring Toby back. Toby, the nickname I gave him somehow  
  
conforted me. All the good times we had shared came rushing back  
  
to me.   
  
It hit me right then, Rachel and I had left his body in the vortex.  
  
And I might have to have a funeral. Ugh, I hated funerals. Once I  
  
had attend my own. That is a memory I'd rather forget. Just then  
  
the tears came. I was soon sobbing. I needed to be with my friends.  
  
Not the Animorphs, I'm never supposed to ask for help with them.  
  
But my old friends, the ones that Tobias and I had grown up with.  
  
The ones who would never know my secret. Marcy and Mike,  
  
Tobias' and mine's best friends. I picked up the phone and started  
  
to dial.   
  
MARCO   
  
I have always said that laughing cures the soul. Not now, laughing  
  
now would be ridiculous. I wasn't as close to Tobias, not like  
  
Maggie, Rachel, and Ax. I was worried for those three. Rachel  
  
couldn't stop crying. Ax looked like he was in shock. And Maggie,  
  
well what can I say? Maggie puts up a wall whenever emotion is  
  
about to strike. I was having a flashback to the two times when  
  
people that I was close with have died. Jake and my Mom. Jake  
  
came back because of a time thing, and as it turned out my Mom  
  
was never dead just controlled. Witch in itself was a curse and a  
  
blessing. Now I had hope to live with to free her but I also had the  
  
extreme choice that I have to face whenever I see her, to kill or not  
  
to kill? I'm advioding the subject, aren't I? I really don't care. I felt  
  
that I should help someone to show them that I've done this and  
  
gotten through it. I decided on Maggie. I had lost a family member  
  
and she just lost her whole family, period. No dad to cry with,  
  
nothing.   
  
I flew over to the apartment and demorphed as soon as I got in the  
  
window. The place felt really empty.   
  
"Maggie?" Now I was getting nervous, "Ummm..Maggie? You in  
  
here?" Then I saw the note.   
  
Jake, Rachel, Marco, Cassie, Ax:   
  
I've gone to New York for a while. I'll be staying with some  
  
friends. Number is 675-0900. Just ask for Maggie or Marcy. Be  
  
back soon.   
  
-Maggie   
  
Jake was NOT going to be happy about this.   
  
CASSIE   
  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT SHE'S GONE?" Jake roared.  
  
Marco winced, he had just called us all over to tell us that Maggie  
  
was gone. It was a dumb thing to do, I mean we should all stay in  
  
one place when something like this happen. But I also understand  
  
Maggie's view of things. I mean the only tie she has with us was  
  
Tobias. And now that he was gone she wanted to be conforted by  
  
their old friends. She was going to have to tell them anyway. I  
  
pulled Jake over and told him this.   
  
"I really don't care Cassie, what if Crayak came back?" He sighed,  
  
"Marco? What's the number?"   
  
"Put it on speaker." Rachel whispered, I was getting really worried  
  
about her. She was either crying or just sitting there. I know that  
  
she thought it was her fault that   
  
Tobias' died, but still....   
  
Jake dialed the number and put it on speaker phone "Hello?" A  
  
unframiler voice answered "Is this for Maggie." She sounded as if  
  
she had been crying   
  
Jake took a breath "Yeah, tell her it's-"   
  
Maggie all of a sudden got on "Jake. I know. I'm guessing you got  
  
my not."   
  
Marco spoke up "Yeah we got your note Maggie. Why are you in  
  
New York?"   
  
You could practically hear Maggie roll her eyes "Ask Cassie."   
  
RACHEL   
  
After our little chat with Maggie we all headed home, or rather I  
  
went home with Cassie. She has been so great though all this,  
  
never pushing me. I had never realized how much I cared for  
  
Tobias until he was gone. I loved him. I loved him as the loner, the  
  
nothlit, and the human. And now he was gone.   
  
I couldn't sleep, so when Cassie finally drifted off I got up and  
  
called Maggie in New York. This time Maggie answered.   
  
"Hello?" This time I defiantly knew Maggie had been crying   
  
"Hi Maggie, it's Rachel."   
  
She paused momentarily "Hi Rach, how are you doing?"   
  
"Not so good." I stopped "No good at all." I said my voice  
  
cracking, "And you?"   
  
"He was my brother." She stated with a sad voice, "He was my  
  
only family."   
  
I wanted to change the subject, It was just plain weird to hear  
  
Maggie depressed and well...emotional. She wasn't like that.  
  
"When are you coming home?"   
  
"I'll be home around 7 AM today."   
  
"Today? God is it Saturday already?"   
  
"Yeah it'd be 3 in the morning." I heard a zipper in the background.  
  
"I'm packing now."   
  
"Well, then I'll let you go."   
  
"Bye"   
  
AX   
  
This wasn't possible. Tobias, my shorm could never be dead. Not  
  
possible. It was the work of that foul creature called the Ellimist.  
  
We should never had trusted him! He was evil. Tobias had been  
  
tricked by him and we all have helped him. I didn't understand it.  
  
Maggie dealt with all this in a strange way. Leaving us all. I cried  
  
for Tobias as I did the death ritual, after all, Tobias is half Andalite.  
  
It was a way for me to say good-bye.   
  
MAGGIE   
  
I had finally gotten home. I came in the house and just collapsed on  
  
the couch. I was worried about Rachel, she had sounded really bad.  
  
Not that I'm one to talk. I wanted to talk to Tobias, to make sure  
  
that he was alright. Unlike the others I know that after life does  
  
exist. For me at least. When I die I will become a full Ellimist.  
  
Only I won't be Maggie. I will be part of the Ellimist. Not  
  
something that I am looking forward to. But I really don't know  
  
what is happening with Tobias. All I know is that he is gone.   
  
I missed New York and all my friends there. All of them had been  
  
so upset when I had delivered the news, it showed how much they  
  
cared. But now that I had partners in the fight, I felt connected to  
  
them. Where ever I would go I would fight, its my nature. But who  
  
and where should I fight?   
  
I needed coffee. Black coffee. I've always been addicted to it and  
  
probably always will be. Tobias can't...couldn't...stand the stuff.  
  
Suddenly a Falcon flew through the window.   
  
"Hey Jake. You need something?"   
  
Once fully demorphed he glared at me "I want an explanation.  
  
Now!"   
  
That pissed me off I mean my brother is dead and he can't  
  
understand why I'm upset! "Oh Gee, Jakey boy what do you want?  
  
Why I'm upset that my brother died? Why I went to see my real  
  
friends and arrived around 8 at night only to be later called at a  
  
friends house to be yelled at! I then had to leave my friends VERY  
  
early in the morning and then suprise, suprise! Get yelled at by  
  
everyone's favorite leader." I glared back at him. He was suprised I  
  
could tell. I had a temper but I try to keep it down or its total Jerry  
  
Springer.   
  
He went from suprised to angry fast "Don't test me Maggie. I've  
  
been leading the Animorphs for 2 years."   
  
"And I've been fighting since I was 3!"   
  
He was stunned "3 years old? My god, you had no childhood!" He  
  
was no longer mad he was pitying me. And I hate pity more than  
  
Visser 3 (Okay, so maybe I hate Visser 3 a tad more.)   
  
"I don't need your pity Jake."   
  
He then did something totally unexpected, he hugged me. "Maggie,  
  
I'm sorry."   
  
With that he left.   
  
I had a very familiar feeling in my stomach, I was falling for Jake.  
  
"Great" I muttered to myself "I like one of the love birds, and he is  
  
in luv with Cassie." I needed to forget these feelings I told myself,  
  
Cassie's my friend. (a/n, all J&C fans read note at end)   
  
RACHEL   
  
I was the next morning and we were all gathered in Maggie's  
  
apartment. Maggie was in the open kitchen making a salad for  
  
herself and talking away, she seemed to be on a caffeine rush. Just  
  
then air opened in front of us. Tobias. Wait a minute TIBIAS!!!!!!!   
  
I ran to him and jumped up and kissed him over and over not  
  
believing what I was seeing. Tobias on the other hand looked very  
  
confused.   
  
"WHAT. And I mean WHAT am I doing here? I was in the  
  
vortex!" Just then Ranch dressing came flying at us. Maggie had  
  
been about to put the dressing on the salad when she looked up.  
  
She tightened her grip on the bottle and Whoops!   
  
"Toby!" Maggie screeched "Your alive!" She ran over and gave  
  
him a hug as I reluctantly let go of him.   
  
"Was I dead again?" He sighed referring to the David incident   
  
NO TOBIAS, YOU WERE REALLY DEAD, the Ellimist voice  
  
rand out   
  
"Then why am I here?" He asked   
  
IT WAS ALL A TEST SO THAT YOU COULD PROVE THAT  
  
YOU ARE ABLE TO GIVE YOUR LIFE, ALL OF THE  
  
MEMORIES OF THAT YOU ARE DEAD HAS BEEN ERASED  
  
FROM YOUR OTHER FRIENDS   
  
Maggie rolled her eyes calmly walked up to him and hit the  
  
Ellimist square in the jaw.   
  
#6: The Hate   
  
MAGGIE   
  
I studied myself in the mirror after haven taken my shower. I  
  
looked the same, pretty, green eyed, dark blonde me. Yet I did not  
  
feel the same. I looked tired and worn out, or maybe I looked like I  
  
had too much sleep. I had horrid bags under my eyes that I hid with  
  
some concealer and foundation. I usually won't wear make-up at  
  
all, in my opinion its all too much work. But I didn't want Tobias  
  
to worry.   
  
It didn't matter much anyway. I was always tires in the mornings. I  
  
got dressed and ran for the bus, Tobias was already gone. When I  
  
got on, I cheered up. I'm more of a people person and I love to give  
  
all my friends fashion tips. Tobias talked with his friends, who  
  
happen to be the most popular boys in school. Tobias and I are  
  
gaining a whole lot of ground in the popularity front. Not like Toby  
  
cares but, well I'm a girl so I'm a wee bit more vain. Like he read  
  
my mind, Tobias took Jo's seat next to me.   
  
"What's wrong, Margaret? No coffee this morning?" I smiled and  
  
as I opened my mouth to answer the Ellimist appeared and started  
  
to kill all of my friends so that soon, only Tobias and I were left.   
  
Tobias turned to me and glared "It's all your fault Maggie. All your  
  
fault"   
  
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP   
  
I groaned and threw a shoe at the damn alarm clock. What was up  
  
with these dreams? Falling out of bed I made my way to the  
  
kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. Just then Tobias came  
  
staggering out of his room, morning people we are not.   
  
"Ugh" I greeted him   
  
"Ugh" Was his chipper reply, I blinked trying to wake up and shake  
  
the dream off, I had never had a problem with dreams before. Well,  
  
that's a lie but I knew that in time it would go away.   
  
"I get dibs on the shower" I muttered   
  
That woke Tobias up "No way, I'm older!"   
  
"Grrrrr...its by seven god damn minutes Toby"   
  
"Listen, Margaret, I-" He cut himself off "Oh go take the shower."   
  
"Thanks Tobias, we still going to the beach with everyone?"  
  
Everyone meaning our school friends.   
  
"As long as were not in the water, yeah."   
  
TOBIAS   
  
I couldn't stop laughing. Maggie and I, as you know hate water. As  
  
soon as   
  
Maggie let that little fact slip two guys, Mark and Jeff had picked  
  
her up and was dragging her towards the water. Maggie couldn't  
  
use her streagh on them and I could see the look on her face from  
  
here. Pure frustration. Jo and me were still laughing when she  
  
managed to gasp "Come on Tobias, lets go save your sister." While  
  
she said that she grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze. I likes Jo  
  
and all, but only as a friend. And as Maggie put it "Toby honey,  
  
friends is not the direction that her delusional mind is heading."  
  
She was defiantly right on this account. I managed to get away  
  
from her and run towards a screaming Maggie.   
  
"Put me down NOW" She roared. Jeff and Mark had a good grip  
  
on her and Maggie looked like she was about to hit them. Now  
  
don't get me wrong, Jeff and Mark are all pretty nice guys but they  
  
were, well...picture Marco and multiply by ten. After I saved  
  
Maggie from the water we headed over to get some coke.   
  
"I hate it when I get picked up and carried around like a 2 year  
  
old." She muttered, I laughed and that was all that Maggie needed  
  
to start her raving "I mean come on! Marco gives me more respect  
  
and that is just sad to admit. Its bad enough when you carry me  
  
around but your allowed cause your my brother. But when Moe  
  
and Larry come over and-" I cut her off by stuffing a piece of pizza  
  
in her mouth.   
  
"Shut up Maggie dearest, lets go home."   
  
RACHEL   
  
Cassie was staring at my with big eyes. "Rach? Don't cause a  
  
scene, DON'T"   
  
I looked at her with enraged eyes "Cassie, Cassie, Cassie. Why  
  
would I make a scene? That little cheerleader is flirting with my  
  
boyfriend. What's to be mad about?"   
  
She rolled her eyes "Rachel, Rachel, Rachel. He pushed her right  
  
off and now he's heading over to the snack place with Maggie.  
  
Remember Maggie? Tobias' sister?"   
  
Let me back up. I went to the beach with Cassie today to get break  
  
from Yeerk fighting. When we got here I see Tobias and Maggie  
  
with some of their friends, Maggie carried of by two morons who  
  
didn't know not to mess with Maggie, then saw that Jo girl flirting  
  
with Tobias. Not that I could really blame her, Tobias had become  
  
a major hottie. I mean, wow. But that's not the point. I squinted  
  
over to Maggie and Tobias and saw them leave. "Bye Cassie, I  
  
need to go yell at Tobias."   
  
I was heading down the road to their apartment when it happened, I  
  
was suddenly in front of a very ugly face, one that not even a  
  
mother could love. It spoke to me in thought speak   
  
Hello Rachel, how nice of you to join me. Is the little killer mad,  
  
hummm? I hope so. Suddenly a spark flew at my face and I was  
  
shoved back to my realm. I felt different, not so that I needed to  
  
turn home but enough to concern me. I ran to Tobias' apartment,  
  
maybe Maggie would have an answer for me.   
  
JAKE   
  
I was worried, not about the Yeerks but about me. I was in love  
  
with Cassie, I thought. But lately Maggie has been haunting me.  
  
Her beautiful face and striking eyes that seem to read my thoughts.  
  
She was, she was....so unlike Cassie. But I needed Cassie. She  
  
completed me. Sweet, caring, understanding.   
  
I swore under my breath, I wished that we had a building to blow  
  
up or an Animorph to rescue. Anything to keep my mind of my  
  
personal problems. I really have to stop wishing for stuff. My  
  
phone rang next to me.   
  
"Hello?"   
  
"Hey Jake its Maggie." Great way to get her off your mind Jake, I  
  
thought. Talk to her   
  
"Oh hi. Sup?" Trying to sound causal   
  
"Nothing good. Rachel is in trouble, get everyone and come over to  
  
my place."   
  
MAGGIE   
  
I had finally gotten into a good mood and then what happens?  
  
Rachel comes in the room and punches me. It didn't hurt exactly,  
  
just annoyed me. I had her pushed up agenst the wall before she  
  
could think. She struggled in my grasp but, pul-eaze? She's human.  
  
I'm not. Not all the way at least.   
  
"Listen to me Rachel, I'm not going to hurt you, yet, but I want an  
  
explanation. So? What is it? A stressful day? Credit card maxed  
  
out?" I talked to her as I would if she were a Yeerk.   
  
She snickered at me and spoke, "What do you take me for? I want  
  
to kill you. And I will."   
  
"Well, duh, but why?" I couldn't believe we were having this talk.  
  
Rachel was my friend, kind of. She always seemed to resent me.  
  
And the whole time I had her up agenst the wall with one of my  
  
hands sipping a diet coke.   
  
"I don't need one, dearie. You kill for a living, and then you joke.  
  
You are evil."   
  
NOW I was pissed, I spun her around and shoved her so that she  
  
was dangling a foot above the floor. "Evil? You can me evil? At  
  
least I don't crave the fight with my soul, addicted to it, wanting it."  
  
I pulled out my knife that I have stashed around the house and put  
  
it to her throght. "Believe me, you don't have the strength to stop  
  
the murdering." I shoved her back on the couch and called Jake,  
  
and got Tobias.   
  
AX   
  
"Its called the Harpnok" Maggie explained "It will take a persons  
  
soul and magnify the anger to the one person the Harpnok hates the  
  
most." She grimaced "That'd be me."   
  
I looked at her with suprise "How wawawa do youuuuu know  
  
this?"   
  
Marco rolled his eyes "Roughly translated: How do you know this  
  
Buffy?"   
  
Buffy. A name that Marco had been calling Maggie lately, like the  
  
way he calls Rachel Xena.   
  
She smiled a smile that did not look happy, "Well, Joker, I have  
  
fought this guy five or six times in my life and he hates me for it."   
  
Jake did not look directly at Maggie, but seemed to talk to her,  
  
"Why didn't you tell us about this guy?"   
  
Before Maggie could answer Tobias interrupted her, "Who  
  
freaking CARES!!! We need to help Rachel before the Harpoky or  
  
whatever it is called hurts her!"   
  
Maggie grinned at Tobias "Rachel would love this answer."   
  
MARCO   
  
This was insane! I mean we've done some stupid stuff but this just  
  
tops all stupidity. Maggie started to look worried then looked like  
  
she was trying to decide if the situation was funny or dangerous.   
  
"Well" She started "The only emotion in Rachel's body at the  
  
moment is hate. Some we have to give her love." That's when  
  
Maggie started to laugh, "Unfortunately the only people who  
  
qualify for this task is Cassie and Tobias because those are the ones  
  
closest to her, and who she loves the most."   
  
Cassie let out a sigh of relief "Oh, well then I'll do it."   
  
That's when Maggie really started to laugh "No you won't, Tobais  
  
has to. Its a really long story and I'll tell it to you when we have the  
  
time. Let's just say that the person who helps her must be a  
  
different kind of love than a friends' love."   
  
Tobias looked thoughtful "All right then, what do I have to do?"   
  
Maggie smirked, "You have to go into her body"   
  
RACHEL   
  
My body! No way was Tobias going into my body. Hi, its Rachel,  
  
Maggie was a tad off when she explained the hate thing. My body  
  
was being controlled by hate but I, the real Rachel was still alive.  
  
And she was getting really embarrassed. So was Tobias. Then  
  
Maggie told us the worst part of the plan that even she couldn't  
  
laugh at. They would have to go to the Yeerk Pool to get the device  
  
that Maggie wanted to preform whatever she was going to do to  
  
poor Tobias.   
  
I felt like crying. The hate inside of me kept on growing, I felt like  
  
I was about to lose control and surrender to it. I hated Maggie,  
  
what she said to me. I hated Jake for knowing what was inside of  
  
me, Cassie was a fool who cried for her victims, and Marco was a  
  
prick who wouldn't fight if it wasn't for his Mother. And  
  
Tobias....well Tobias I wouldn't kill, Tobias was good.   
  
It would go back and forth like that evil, to normal, evil, to normal.  
  
Then I totally lost control of the hate inside of me. The last thing I  
  
remember is Tobias kissing me and promising to save me. The  
  
fool, no one could save me now.   
  
TOBIAS   
  
I was worried sick about Rachel, I had seen the look she gave me  
  
when I said good-bye to her. Maggie kept on glancing over at Jake  
  
and I knew why, she liked him. And Marco told me something  
  
else, Jake liked Maggie. I hoped that Maggie wouldn't mess Cassie  
  
and Jake up, even though I knew that Maggie considered Cassie a  
  
friend and wouldn't break them up, deliberately.   
  
Maggie was a smart girl, as you know. She showed us how to get  
  
around the Yeerk bio-filters. Which helped us a lot. Then the battle  
  
begin, Maggie and I were alone together I was in my Elephant  
  
morph and Maggie was herself. 20 Hork-Bajir! 30 Taxxon and  
  
who knows what else. I turned to Maggie Let's do it! She  
  
screamed.   
  
The fight was awful, Maggie disappeared when 10 Horks jumped  
  
on her. The rest of them attacked me, one of the blades blinded my  
  
left eye. I started jumping up and down, using my trunk,  
  
ANYTHING to stay alive. Maggie on the other hand was taking  
  
down her pack with ease. Once those 10 were dead she went after  
  
the Taxxons, slicing them up in no time. She was a wonderful  
  
fighter or maybe a terrible fighter. Everytime I saw her fight I had  
  
to look away. She helped me with the rest of my Hork-Bajir. Once  
  
that was done we ran to the others.   
  
CASSIE   
  
Maggie and Tobias came into few, Maggie covered in blood and  
  
Tobias looking shaken. Maggie turned to me, "Look for a green  
  
sphere that has two lights on it."   
  
She turned to Jake and Marco "Keep a lookout and tell me if  
  
anyone comes near." I saw Jake hide a smile, Maggie sometimes  
  
switched into leader mode when we were in a fight, she and Jake  
  
were like co-captions. I was worried that Maggie was stealing more  
  
than Jake's job. More like Jake himself. Oh well I thought, think  
  
about that that later.   
  
Maggie looked over at Ax who looked confused Why are you  
  
giving Prince Jake orders? I thought that we all followed our  
  
Prince.   
  
Maggie looked a little mad at that "I don't fallow anyone, Ax."   
  
Then you share the Prince position with Prince Jake? Then I must  
  
call you Princess Maggie from now on   
  
From the other side of the room I heard Tobias snorting, trying not  
  
to laugh. "You do that Ax-man." Tobias said still chuckling.   
  
"Found it!" I exclaimed   
  
Maggie took the weird looking thing from me and held it up.  
  
"That's it" She said giving me a smile "Lets go."   
  
RACHEL   
  
The morons opened the door to the apartment just as I got free  
  
from my chains. Maggie ran over and tied me right back up. Tobias  
  
looked very nervous in the corner.   
  
"OK Maggie, what do I do?"   
  
She gave him a reassuring smile "Just place your hand on her head  
  
and concentrate. I'll do the rest."   
  
"That's reassuring, what is that thing for?" Tobias asked, indicating  
  
the green thing that Maggie held in her hands.   
  
"It'll monitor the responses Rachel's brain is receiving and to make  
  
sure that the Harpnok doesn't go into your body."   
  
Marco sighed "Well senesce Rachel is temporarily evil, no big  
  
change there, I'll do the honors......Let's do it!"   
  
TOBAIS   
  
Oh this was sooooo not my idea of a fun, relaxing Saturday. I cared  
  
about Rachel a lot and would do anything for her, but this felt like I  
  
was violating part of her. I had a feeling she would be a very mad  
  
Rachel when she got better. If she got better, I still wasn't sure what  
  
to do once I was in her head. Maggie said that "You will know  
  
when it is time." God, she sounded just like an Ellimist.   
  
I was in my room, trying to get some sleep as Maggie had said to  
  
do. It wasn't working. Then I heard Maggie scream out   
  
"Tobias! Time to switch body's!" Maggie never took anything  
  
seriously. I got up and went over to Rachel, Maggie told me what  
  
to do earlier so I knew (sota) what I was doing. I placed my hand  
  
on her forehead and shut my eyes.   
  
I heard Maggie's voice as though it was far away "OK Toby, I'm  
  
turning on the machine...NOW! You'll switch in 5....4....3....2...   
  
RACHEL   
  
"1!"   
  
Suddenly I was no longer in control, it was like having a new  
  
person controlling your body, which really was what was  
  
happening. I suddenly felt a mind push up from under this one...   
  
I was back! Me the real Rachel! Then I felt a surge of anger and  
  
hate as I began to lose control ... then I heard Tobias' voice   
  
Rach? Come on fight it!   
  
Help me I managed to reply   
  
There were suddenly bursts of color and....love. I saw all the times  
  
that Tobias had ever been loved and all the times that he had loved.  
  
I saw the time he learned that Maggie was his sister and how happy  
  
he was. I saw when I helped him remember humanity. And I saw  
  
our first real kiss.   
  
I love you too Tobias   
  
I woke up to see Tobias laying down, asleep next to me. The others  
  
were gone and   
  
I was grateful for that. I was untied, it was about time, my  
  
circulation was being cut off. I smiled when I looked over at  
  
Tobias, he was such a great guy.   
  
I got on top of him and kissed him as he slowly awakened. I  
  
smoothed out his hair and smiled down at him.   
  
"Mind if I spend the night?" I had never loved him so much   
  
MAGGIE   
  
I had decided to spend the night at Cassie's to give Tobias and  
  
Rachel privacy. I knew they wouldn't go that far, as in THAT far  
  
but I knew the feeling when you are awokened after Harpnok is in  
  
you. I heard someone behind me, Jake.   
  
"Hey Maggie, we need to talk." I knew what he wanted to talk  
  
about   
  
I smiled at him, "Listen, I'll make this easy for you. We are friends  
  
that are both dating someone. You love Cassie and that's all that  
  
matters."   
  
Jake let out a breath, "Your right, just friends." We shook hands  
  
and separated.   
  
I hope he didn't see me glance back at him.   
  
#7: The Switch   
  
MAGGIE   
  
You want to know a secret? The development of fungus is one of  
  
the most boring freaking thing you will ever learn in your life time.  
  
Half the class was asleep, and the other half I wasn't sure was still  
  
breathing. Tobias was one of the asleep ones and I was about to  
  
wake him up but decided ageist it. It had been a rough week.   
  
Fortunately, for yours truly this was the last period of a looooooong  
  
Friday. Very long as in so long I thought it was Tuesday until  
  
lunch. Now, you may be asking, what is Maggie doing awake? Or,  
  
what is she insane?! This is Fungus, sleep central! GO TO SLEEP!  
  
Tell me about it. One little word for you, coffee. I bought a new  
  
brand a couple days ago and it keeps me up until the end of the  
  
day. Then I crash.   
  
Anyone else noticing how I'm babbling? That's because I have a  
  
sad, confusing tale for you all. It really isn't a fighting or important  
  
stuff. Just an event that was important to me, Ever wonder if your  
  
life was a book or a TV show? Yep, you guessed it. That's what I,  
  
and the genius that call themselves the Animorphs discovered.  
  
That's what I mean when I said "It had been a rough week."   
  
**EARLYER THAT WEEK**   
  
TOBIAS   
  
I hate Mondays. I mean, truly, deeply HATE Mondays. And yet  
  
they keep on coming. I was in the kitchen eating something that  
  
resembled Cheerios when it happened. I reached down to grab a  
  
math book to do some of my homework when my hand touched the  
  
book. I looked down and almost passed out. It was an Animorph  
  
book! Number #30, The Reunion. I looked at the cover and saw a  
  
picture of what I could only guess was Marco morphing a  
  
cockroach. I looked at the back and read the summary. I was no  
  
longer as scared as I was puzzled. Why hadn't we heard about this  
  
before? And second, why was the book so out of date? That  
  
happened a long time ago.   
  
Maggie came out of the shower looking confused as well. She was  
  
holding up a soggy book that read Animorphs #1 The Invasion.   
  
"Is one of you a writer that changed your name to K. A. " Maggie  
  
squinted to read the cover "Applegate? And never told me?" She  
  
paused rasing her eyebrow at me,   
  
"Or has something bizarre happened. Again" She added   
  
"Like I know? I have number #30." I waved my book at her   
  
"Ugh, a Marco book." She sighed "Lets call the others."   
  
RACHEL   
  
RING! RING! RI-   
  
I cut the phone off as I picked it up. Who would call this early, this  
  
early on Monday at that.   
  
"Hello?" I answered with a not-quite-awake-voice   
  
The person on the other end chuckled, "You sound chipper"   
  
"Hey Tobias" I said, I loved the guy but not at this hour, "What do  
  
you want?"   
  
"Did you by any chance get a book on, oh, I don't know....us?"   
  
That woke me up "Excuse me?"   
  
Tobias sighed "Look around your room for an Animorph book."   
  
"Tobias I am not in the mood for-" I picked up a book that had a  
  
picture of Cassie on it and said The Message. "Tobias? I'll be over  
  
in a a few minutes."   
  
MAGGIE   
  
I kept on glancing over at the book that I had gotten, I was dying to  
  
read it but nooooooo.....Tobias had to take it from me! Everyone  
  
else was here besides Marco, I had to let the phone ring about 80  
  
times before the boy picked it up.   
  
DING-DONG   
  
Tobias looked up from reading his book, "Maggie? You mind?"   
  
"I still don't understand something Tobias, why is it that you all can  
  
read your books and I can't read mine?" All of the others had there  
  
heads barred in their books.   
  
Cassie had something called a MegaMorph and Jake was reading  
  
#22, The Solution. It was a Rachel book that told about a kid  
  
named David (who I had never known about thankyouverymuch)   
  
DING-DONG   
  
Whoops I had forgotten about Marco! "Sorry Marco" I said after he  
  
was in   
  
"Shhhhh!" He exclaimed "This is getting really good!" I looked at  
  
the book he was reading, #23 The Pretender, that was narrated by  
  
my brother. Suddenly we were no longer in my house, we were in a  
  
book store.   
  
MARCO   
  
To be exact, we were in the children's section of a book store. One  
  
that had way, way, WAY too many "Animorph" books.   
  
Rachel's eyes were big, "Where are we? I think I would have  
  
noticed a series about us in the book store."   
  
Maggie, who looked a little too calm for my taste, rolled her eyes,  
  
"We're in a different dimesion..Duh."   
  
Tobias looked a little annoyed at his sister, "What do you  
  
mean?....Duh"   
  
"Shut up Toby!"   
  
"Listen, Margaret--" Tobias began   
  
That's when I decided to step in "Hey Tobias and Buffy? You mind  
  
shutting up for a while? We really don't need a fight between you  
  
two when were in the middle of a crisis."   
  
"Shut up Marco" They both said at the same time   
  
Jake look as if he was getting a headache, "Marco's right. Maggie  
  
tell us what you know."   
  
"Well, what a was going to say before someone," Maggie shot a  
  
look at Tobias "interrupted me was that we were somehow thrown  
  
into a universe where you all are   
  
book characters. Why? I don't know. But once I was thrown into a  
  
world where everyone looked like the Spice Girls." She rolled her  
  
eyes when she saw our faces,   
  
"Kidding people! But once I was in a world where the untire plant  
  
was bugs."   
  
"Well, now that we know Maggie has lead an insane life, HOW do  
  
we get out?" I asked.   
  
Rachel spoke up, "Hey where's Ax?"   
  
Maggie looked up from looking at all of the books, "Oh well, it  
  
was probably only for humans." (a/n: I can't write for Ax! So he  
  
really doesn't have big parts in my stories, Sorry!)   
  
"Again I ask, HOW do we get out?"   
  
Maggie shook her head, "Like I know, when It happened to me, I  
  
was returned a week later. And no one had known I was gone."   
  
RACHEL   
  
After all that, I noticed that we were in the Mall, and it was my  
  
idea to see if anything else was different. So we made our way out  
  
while Maggie started to complain.   
  
"I mean why aren't I in the books?" She whined, "I'm now a main  
  
character...I want recognition!"   
  
"Well, Maggie maybe its because the books are only up to #30 and  
  
that was a long time ago." Tobias said placidly. "That book is when  
  
Marco's mom shows up again-" Tobias would have said more but  
  
he was interrupted by Marco. "Thank you Tobias, lets move on."  
  
Tobias took the hint, it was still a sensitive subject for Marco.  
  
After that, his mother had come back once more and then...when to  
  
make a long story short, she died.   
  
Maggie sighed, "Let's get a computer and look up Animorphs."   
  
"Why?" I asked   
  
"Well gee, I dunno Rachel maybe so we can see who this  
  
Applegate woman is, if the stories are popular, any fan sites out  
  
there." She paused, "But I'm betting that only morons read these  
  
books and probably a few small amount of morons at that."   
  
MARCO   
  
Small amount, sure that's it. These people were obsessed! We were  
  
in a hotel room with a borrowed computer. A computer that had  
  
been on for almost 4 days straight. We had learned a lot about each  
  
other and Maggie had learned all of our missions. Sorta like a field  
  
trip. There were millions of sites, a bad TV show that we had the  
  
pleaser of watching, everything! We had turned off the computer  
  
and some us were reading the books and some of us (as in me)  
  
were watching a person called Maggie.   
  
Through all the things that had happened, I couldn't get my mind  
  
off her. Her strength and beauty were astounding. I might be in  
  
love with her. I tried to ignore these feelings. Feelings like that  
  
only make you weak. I had to ignore them for Maggie's sake. What  
  
would she do if she found out, Maggie may be blunt but she's not  
  
cruel. She might date me out of pity. Shaking these thoughts out of  
  
my head I looked over at Jake. He was reading #19, a Cassie book.  
  
Suddenly he got out and went over to her.   
  
"Cassie, I love you." He said and then firmly kissed her on the lips.  
  
The whole group had there mouths hanging open, all for Maggie.  
  
She looked as she had been slapped, but that was only for an  
  
instant. She was back to emotionless in a flash.   
  
"Wow, that sorta came out of nowhere, didn't it?" Maggie said.   
  
"Why didn't you tell me about what you were feeling?" Jake asked,  
  
ignoring Maggie.   
  
"I don't...I don't know. It was a hard period for me." Cassie said,  
  
blushing.   
  
Rachel grinned, "Come on let's ummm.. go for a walk to the pool."  
  
She smiled over   
  
at Tobias, "You want to come? Oh! And Marco and Maggie too of  
  
course."   
  
Tobias looked at Maggie for a second, "I'll be there in a sec.  
  
Marco, you can go."   
  
We all walked outside giving Cassie and Jake thier privacy. I head  
  
them talking and laughing. Tobias looked at me, "I'll handle this."  
  
That suprised me, how fast Tobias caught on to that I understood  
  
what Maggie was going through, and at that...wanted to help.   
  
Maggie had walked away to the balcony that was in the hotel, it  
  
was empty. "No, man its all right. Let me do this."   
  
Tobias looked concerned but came to a decision fast, "Don't say  
  
anything Marco-like." And with one look back at Maggie he  
  
walked away.   
  
I took a deep breath, this wasn't going to be easy. I knew in my  
  
heart that I would spill my feelings towards her to her. I just didn't  
  
know how. I decided to keep it simple, that was the only way to  
  
talk to her without her getting mad.   
  
"Hey Maggie." Brilliant Marco, I said to myself, way to be  
  
creative.   
  
"Marco! You suprised me! What are you doing here?" Maggie  
  
asked   
  
"I can see your upset," Too bad for keeping things nice and easy.   
  
"What makes you think I'm upset?"   
  
"Cause I can see pretty well through your emotional cover." I  
  
turned her face around   
  
so that she was looking straight at me. "And I'm guessing its about  
  
Jake."   
  
She looked as if she were going to slap me for a second then  
  
thought better of it, "I suppose, but he loves Cassie, even an idiot  
  
like me can see that." She said giving me a half smile that made me  
  
stammer for a second before continuing.   
  
"Umm..well, your not an idiot." I smiled at her, "I know that for a  
  
fact, because I don't care for idiots."   
  
"Marco..." She started before I cut her off.   
  
"No, this time me first Maggie. I care for you." I smiled at her  
  
shocked expression, "I love the stars. Don't you? My Mom and I,  
  
when I was a little kid would pick stars to wish on." I closed my  
  
eyes briefly, "I just made one. In fact she's standing in front of me."   
  
Maggie looked at me with beautiful green eyes. "Tobias and I used  
  
to do that, but we weren't that young." She smiled at me. "I would  
  
wish for a thing that could never come true, so I wouldn't be  
  
disappointed." She turned to me leaning close, "And now that wish  
  
came true. You." She said to me before she softly kissed me, on the  
  
lips. It was my first kiss, and I didn't know what to do.  
  
Unfortunately the kiss ended before I could do anything. She  
  
pulled away and smiled, "Pay me a visit later so we can talk."   
  
TOBIAS   
  
Marco did NOT just kiss my little sister. I glanced over at Rachel,  
  
who looked like she was having trouble breathing.   
  
"Did, they, I mean, you know, did they?!" I said   
  
"Oh they defiantly did." I looked over at Marco who was still  
  
standing on the balcony. "Stay here Rach, talk to Maggie was  
  
maybe take her to get a CAT scan." I   
  
walked briskly towards Marco and spun him around. I think I gave  
  
him a heart attack.   
  
"What the hell was that?" I demanded   
  
"Uhhh..uh oh, you saw that?"   
  
"Yes, Rachel and I did. So what happened. Why did you kiss  
  
Maggie"   
  
"Hey! First of all Maggie kissed me and second...well..." I rolled  
  
my eyes, and Maggie complains about me and Rachel? That's a  
  
laugh. But then I saw that Marco did care for Maggie, not just her  
  
looks (Maggie has had enough trouble with that) and softened,   
  
"Well if you hurt her, your dead. Remember that." Then I was back  
  
into my apartment. With everyone else with me.   
  
"Well, what was the point of THAT?!" Rachel exclaimed and fell  
  
on to the couch.   
  
Maggie went over and took Marco's hand. "I think I know."   
  
#8: The End   
  
MAGGIE   
  
Suicide. One word that I always feared the most. The reason I  
  
feared it was because I always knew it was my destiny. When I  
  
started the fight, I was told never to care or let anyone care in  
  
return. I had never obeyed that rule. Now I wish I did.   
  
The Animorphs have started to care about me, so I know this will  
  
be hard on a lot of them. I told Tobias that my death was  
  
inevitable, but I never told him that it was so near. Maybe he will  
  
understand what I'm about to do. Or perhaps he won't, because I  
  
know how much he loves me. He's my brother and I will always  
  
love him, one of my greatest mistakes.   
  
I've always known I was going to die young. The Ellimist told me  
  
himself that he would kill me. My death date was tomorrow. But I  
  
don't go down like that, if I have to be destroyed, I'll do it myself.  
  
My hands are starting to shake as I write a letter to my friends, the  
  
Animorphs.   
  
Funny, minutes before my death I consider them my friends. I  
  
never thought I really belonged with them. I pick up the gun I'm  
  
about to use on myself. And I am afraid, god help me, I don't know  
  
what else to do. I've fought this moment for 5 years. But its  
  
coming, very fast. I put the gun in my mouth, Just don't let it hurt  
  
was my last thought as I pulled the trigger.   
  
MARCO   
  
Maggie had been acting really distant lately so I decided to pay her  
  
a visit. I mean, I AM her boyfriend (kinda). So I brought over a  
  
movie and got ready for a fight. Maggie hated it when I just show  
  
up without notice, so I have to do it at every possible chance.   
  
"Maggie? You in there?" I yelled when no one answered my ring.  
  
Taking out my key to her apartment (Tobias and Maggie gave one  
  
to each of us for emergencies) I opened the door. I walked around  
  
when I didn't see her, and then headed towards her room. Knocking  
  
on it, she still didn't answer. So I opened the door and then saw  
  
Maggie, Maggie with blood all over her and a gun in her mouth.   
  
For a second I couldn't move. Dead, Maggie is dead. That's the  
  
only thing I could think about. Then I ran to the bathroom and  
  
threw up my lunch. I couldn't move for a second. I closed my eyes  
  
for a second and convinced myself that this was just a bad dream.  
  
When I opened my eyes I would be back in bed. I almost convinced  
  
myself, until I opened my eyes that is. When I opened them, I was  
  
still in Maggie and Tobias' apartment and as I walked to Maggie's  
  
room and as I saw her laying there, dead. Then I started to scream.   
  
TOBIAS   
  
I hurried up to my apartment when I heard loud and somewhat  
  
familiar screaming. The door was already unlocked so I ran in,   
  
"Maggie?" That's when I recognized the yell, Marco. "Marco?  
  
What's wrong?"   
  
"Oh god, she's dead " was his faint reply   
  
I felt panic starting to take over my body, I came to a complete  
  
stop, "Who's dead?"   
  
"Oh god,"I could tell that he was in Maggie's room, even then I  
  
didn't even think that it was Maggie that had died. I ran into her  
  
room and stopped. Maggie was laying dead on the ground with a  
  
gun in her mouth. Suicide, it was the only possibility. But why?  
  
Maggie was .Oh god, that's what she meant when she told me  
  
that her death was enviable. But why hadn't she told me that it was  
  
soon. The tears started then, I couldn't stop them. I felt a little  
  
strange, Marco and I were never really close. But soon we were  
  
both crying, standing up and staring at Maggie. But it wasn't  
  
Maggie anymore, Maggie was gone.   
  
RACHEL   
  
I got the call from Tobias around two o'clock in the afternoon, I  
  
could tell he had   
  
been crying. "Tobias? What's wrong?"   
  
"Its its Maggie."   
  
"What about Maggie?" I asked urgently. Maggie and I were never  
  
really close, but she was still a friend.   
  
"She's dead."   
  
I drew in a breath and put the phone down for a moment, after I  
  
collected myself I picked up the phone, "I'll get everyone else, don't  
  
freak out, It'll be ok."   
  
JAKE   
  
We had all gathered in Ma I mean Tobias' apparment. Cassie was  
  
next to me crying softly, holding on to me like her life depended on  
  
it. Tobias and Rachel were on the couch, both were crying but  
  
Rachel hid her tears from Tobias and was trying to confort him. Ax  
  
was in the corner looking like he didn't know what to say.  
  
Marco..Marco wasn't doing well at all, he was pacing back and  
  
forth basically freaking out. As for me, I mean I didn't know what  
  
to do, so I just sat there, stunned. I mean, suicide, who would have  
  
thought about it for Maggie. She always seemed in control. A little  
  
spazy, but always in control.   
  
We had shut the door because know one wanted to look at Maggie  
  
and no one wanted to move her. Tobias had taken the gun and set it  
  
in the kitchen. We didn't know what to do. All of a sudden Marco  
  
exploded, "WHY? Why the hell did she have to kill herself"   
  
Tobias spoke up for the first time, "Because she didn't want to be  
  
killed" We all looked at him like he had lost his mind, sighing, he  
  
continued, "She once told me that her death was inevitable, and  
  
that she would be killed,"   
  
Marco's voice got really low, "And why exactly didn't you tell us?"   
  
"Because I had no idea what that meant, Marco. How was I  
  
supposed to know that my twin sister was going to kill herself the  
  
next week? And she even told me never to tell anyone." Tobias  
  
paused, "Especially you Marco."   
  
MARCO   
  
Why didn't Maggie trust me? We had been close, and I thought that  
  
she would have told me something, anything. I couldn't believe that  
  
she had told Tobias not to tell me, especially. It was only 4 o'clock  
  
and I was ready to go to sleep and never wake up. I still couldn't  
  
comprehend that she was dead. It wasn't possible! Maggie was too  
  
young, too beautiful, too oh god, she was really gone. It was  
  
weird about how much this hurt. Maggie and I had only been  
  
friends for a few months and dating for about 3 weeks. Yet, it was  
  
almost to painful to bare. Although there was nothing to be pained  
  
about, I realized, if Maggie was selfish enough to put us all through  
  
this, she wasn't worth crying over. But that realization didn't  
  
matter, because as soon as I got to my room, I cried and couldn't  
  
stop.   
  
MAGGIE   
  
Well, this was confusing. One minute I was nice and dead with a  
  
bullet in my head and the next I was in paradise. My joy had no  
  
bounds, and it wasn't because of my beautiful surroundings, or  
  
because of the wonderful realization of life after death, no it  
  
was .I can't explain it to you unless you ever knew complete and  
  
utter happiness, which, unless you're dead, you can't.   
  
Sounds weird doesn't it? I mean I had just said that  
  
death=happiness, and I know that's not right. But as I looked  
  
around this realm that I was in, I realized that death wasn't so final  
  
as mortals believe. Death meant the end or final, and "death" wasn't  
  
like that at all. I was being reborn, all the guilt, blood, lives, lies,  
  
hate, or pain was gone. I felt no regret for my suicide, and I wasn't  
  
worried about anyone that I had left behind .not even,  
  
umm .Tom? Taylor? Toby   
  
All of a sudden it was like waking up from a dream, Tobias, oh  
  
god, what was he going through? All of a sudden the surroundings  
  
fanished   
  
VERY GOOD MAGGIE, I WAS WORRIED THAT YOU  
  
WOULD FORGET   
  
The Ellimist, I thought, I die and the guy still fallows me. "Forget  
  
what exactly?"   
  
WHEN A MORTAL DIES, THEY BEGIN TO LOSE ALL  
  
MEMORIES AND AWARNESS OF THEIR PAST LIFE. ITS  
  
NORMAL AND TO BE EXPECTED, BUT FOR ELLIMISTS TO  
  
BECOME COMPLETE THEY MUST FIGHT IT. YOU DID.   
  
"Great" I muttered, then it hit me about what he had said "Excuse  
  
me? Ellimist? I'm Maggie. You know, me. The blond, mean, and  
  
fashionable dressed girl. The one who is SUPPOSED TO BE  
  
DEAD!!"   
  
CALM DOWN. ALL IS WELL. YOU WILL NOW TAKE MY  
  
PLACE AS THE ELLIMIST, AND I WILL SHOW YOU HOW .   
  
RACHEL   
  
Tobias and I were in his bed, he had finally fallen asleep. I was  
  
worried about him. I hated Maggie at that moment., Why had she  
  
done this to us? Why did she hurt Tobias and Marco so much. I  
  
briefly thought about him, Marco had run out of the apartment after  
  
Tobias yelled at him. I really couldn't blame him, I could imagine  
  
what it would feel like to lose Tobias. Stroking Tobias' hair I  
  
thought about what Maggie had said to me once   
  
Maggie? What's the matter, you spaced?   
  
Oh, sorry Rachel, but I was worried about something.   
  
What?   
  
Tobias' and mines destiny.   
  
Heavy thinking for a Saturday morning.   
  
She had said that on one of the few days we had hung out together.  
  
I hadn't given it much thought at the time. Now I couldn't get my  
  
mind of that word "Destiny" I wondered if it really exist. And if it  
  
does, did Maggie know hers?   
  
MAGGIE   
  
I was changed. My life had passed before me, and I was no longer  
  
the girl that had lived it, I was the woman who had watched it. One  
  
moment of my life had stayed in my mind, the time when I was  
  
three and been told what the Yeerks were and what my purpose  
  
was. The Ellimist explained everything to me that fateful night.   
  
I had been out late at night playing with some friends with parents  
  
supervision. But I had wondered away and went over to look at this  
  
building called YIH. I went to look in the window when something  
  
came up behind me. A weird alien, like a big disgusting worm. It  
  
started to attack me but I was too quick, I jerked my body into it  
  
and it   
  
exploded, I ran home crying, not talking to anyone.   
  
*11 YEARS AGO*   
  
When I got into the house, I realized I couldn't have done that. It  
  
was impossible for a 3 year old. Then another fact hit me, why and  
  
how did I realize that I shouldn't have been able to do that? As  
  
soon as I thought that a old man appeared out of no where.   
  
BECAUSE YOU ARE DIFFERENT   
  
"Swell, and who are you?" That was another surprise, I defiantly  
  
sounded older, like the big kids.   
  
I AM A BEING CALLED THE ELLIMIST, I CHANGED YOU  
  
WHEN YOU WERE BORN. YOU ARE A HALF ELLIMIST.  
  
AND THE REASON YOU SOUND AND THINK DIFFERENT  
  
IS BECAUSE OF THAT. YOU ARE SMARTER THAN  
  
ANYONE YOUR AGE, OR IN TIME, YOURS AND MANY  
  
OTHER RACES. YOU ARE UNIQUE. YOU WERE CREATED  
  
TO PROTECT AND SERVE. YOU WILL PROTECT A BOY,  
  
WHO YOU WILL SOON MEET.   
  
"And who would this boy be?"   
  
I CANNOT TELL YOU HIS NAME OR FACE. AND YOU  
  
WILL PROTECT HIM WITHOUT YOU KNOWING IT. BUT  
  
THIS BOY IS THE CENTER OF CREATION, THE COURSE OF  
  
EARTH AND THE UNIVERSE WILL CHANGE WITH HIM.  
  
HE IS A BEGINNING, AS WELL AS AN END.   
  
"So your telling me this kid has a lot on his shoulders?" The  
  
Ellimist smiled but didn't say anything.   
  
IN YOUR SHORT TIME ON EARTH, YOU WILL FIGHT THE  
  
YEERKS.   
  
"And they would be.."   
  
Well, you can guess where it went from there, the Ellimist  
  
explained the Yeerks and morphing to me. He told me my  
  
strengths and limitations. As you might have figured the "boy" was  
  
Tobias. Funny, only now I realize who it was. I took all of the  
  
aliens stuff pretty well, but the thing that got me was how fast my  
  
mind worked now. I already had an idea on a computer program  
  
that would help me. And I saw how weak our technology was. And  
  
the way my mind worked now, I knew I no longer had the mind of  
  
a 3 year old. The day after that, I met Tobias (nice timing huh?)   
  
I mean when I broke into the orphanage, come on. A normal 6 year  
  
old could never think up that. Tobias was actually pretty dense not  
  
to notice. When we started living on our own (Tobias and I) I  
  
morphed into a adult (although to this day Tobais still believes that  
  
the government allows us to live on our own) to rent and all that.  
  
(a/n: well there you go to all you people who send me letters about  
  
those facts, and yes I had that planed, uh-huh, yep, the whole time)  
  
Suddenly the Ellimist voice sounded out through the cosmos.   
  
WELL?   
  
"Well what?"   
  
WILL YOU BECOME ME?   
  
TOBAIS   
  
I smiled looking at an old picture of Maggie and me, we looked so  
  
young. Although Maggie had started to fight. I think I was pretty  
  
dense not to notice. We had just had her funeral and everyone was  
  
depressed. I was going back to New York for a week, my NY  
  
friends insisted that I shouldn't be alone in the house and that I had  
  
to stay with them. There was no way of getting out of it. Normally  
  
it would feel good to have friends like that, but now I felt like  
  
nothing would never feel good. Rachel was coming over in a few  
  
minutes to say goodbye (and knowing Rachel re-pack for me). The  
  
other Animorphs were coming over later, but Rachel and I wanted  
  
to talk in private. I heard the door open and Rachel come in.   
  
"Hey," she said softly. Black wasn't Rachel's color, but she still  
  
looked beautiful. God help me that I noticed.   
  
"Hi Rach, how are you doing?"   
  
She studied my face, which held a poker face that no one could  
  
figure out except Maggie "Better than you obviously, don't think I  
  
can't figure out what your feeling through that face." Or Rachel it  
  
seemed.   
  
"I'll be ok, I know she's happy now. I mean there has to be life-after  
  
death."   
  
"Why do you say that?"   
  
"Because if there wasn't Maggie would kick God's ass then come  
  
back and come back to complain."   
  
Rachel laughed "Yeah, I bet she would."   
  
I smiled "Well, I guess I'm back to being alone again." Those  
  
words popped out, and I wanted to reach out and take them back  
  
when I saw the hurt look on Rachel's face.   
  
"Tobias, you'll never be alone, you have me." She leaned against  
  
me and put her head on my chest.   
  
"I know, I just meant " My voice trailed off.   
  
"Don't worry about it. I know how much you loved her." She  
  
shifted her position so she was looking up at me. "But the one  
  
thing you might not know is how much I love you." She kissed me  
  
softly and looked at me in the eye, "And I want you that I'll always  
  
be here for you to talk to, not just as a girlfriend."   
  
"I know.." Rachel cut me off with a kiss, and it felt pretty good.   
  
#9: The Ellimist   
  
MAGGIE   
  
I am not dead. I am a creation outside of time itself. Self. That  
  
word, that word that you use to explain yourself was fading. I was  
  
no longer me, I wasn't myself. I was the, a, and many Ellimist.  
  
There is one Ellimist, one creature. But I am powerful enough that  
  
I can be a whole race within my body. Or mind. Or whatever it is  
  
that is me. I'm deeply afraid. I was the Ellimist. But I wanted to be  
  
Maggie. Maggie was a girl that I had lost, not long ago. But I can  
  
still feel her within me, making sure I always hold my own.   
  
I remember my friends, the Animorphs. I remember the groups of  
  
friends I had made around the country. I could see them all by  
  
thinking about them. Tobias, my brother was back home. I saw him  
  
packing up my room. Saw him crying. He never understood why I  
  
did it. He never would. But even now, I see him healing. I am not  
  
afraid for Tobias, he has Rachel who, although I never respected  
  
her much on earth, has greatness that I trust and admire. Jake and  
  
Cassie had each other, if anything my death has brought them  
  
closer together. Marco? It almost hurt me to watch him. He wasn't  
  
doing well. He loved me, I can see that too clearly. I wish I could  
  
feel the same. But Marco was strong, he would survive. Ax, well  
  
Ax was doing great. At least ONE of the great Animorphs is  
  
kinda-sorta sane. Too bad he's the alien of the group.   
  
Tobias never found that letter that I wrote to him and the  
  
Animorphs. And now it seems he never would. Because I, Maggie  
  
will disappear. Maggie will never exist.   
  
TOBIAS   
  
The past week of school was hell. Complete and utter hell. If one  
  
more person apologizes to me .. I'll lose the last shred of sanity I  
  
have left. I can't stop asking myself why she did it. Then again, I  
  
guess I'm doing better than Marco. He is a mess. Worse than me.  
  
Last I heard from Jake, he wasn't eating, cutting classes. I didn't  
  
know what to make of that, I mean I knew Maggie her whole life,  
  
and yet I was recovering faster. Maybe it was Rachel, maybe it was  
  
because I knew Maggie would never want to see us like this, or  
  
maybe I was just an emotionless person. I had packed her room up,  
  
and that had been the worst. I found little notes that she had  
  
written, pictures that I never knew she still had, clothes. Yeah that  
  
was the worst.   
  
I needed to get away. I opened my window and started to morph  
  
into the very familiar Hawk body.   
  
MARCO   
  
Maggie. That one word gave me so many emotions, hate, anger,  
  
shock, happiness, and..and love. I was in love with her. I was in  
  
love with a person who wasn't here anymore. Sometimes I wish I  
  
could talk to her, even just for a few minutes. It was awful,  
  
sometimes I wished the pain would stop. That it never started. I  
  
was worse than when my mom "died". She had left me. Maggie I  
  
mean, she had caused me this pain.   
  
"How could you have done this to me? Why did you, what was  
  
going through your brain?"   
  
"Not much." I stood up and franticly searched my room. I hadn't  
  
exactly expected an answer. But that voice belonged to Maggie.  
  
"Over here, Marco." I looked over at my bed. And saw Maggie.  
  
Maggie, hair up in a ponytail, jeans and an old T-shirt. Not exactly  
  
the Maggie look.   
  
"I oh ah" I finally found my voice, "You dead."   
  
"You Marco." She said smirking. "Yeah, it's me. Sorry that I didn't  
  
dress up. I've been having one hell of a week."   
  
"I know the feeling." It was weird, I knew fully well that Maggie  
  
was dead. But it also just felt like she came over to watch a movie  
  
or something. Suddenly, I couldn't stand it. I had to kiss her, to  
  
touch her to see if she was real. So I did. And she kissed me back  
  
and smiled.   
  
"Marco, come on. I just came over to tell you something." I moved  
  
to stand up, but she held me down and put her arms around me.  
  
"Listen to me baby, I know you love me. And I know you miss me.  
  
But soon it will be over. You won't remember me."   
  
She sighed, "Oh and Marco? Ask out a brunette next time, there  
  
much more stable"   
  
THE ELLIMIST   
  
My life was over. Maggie wasn't. I use the title Eliminate now to  
  
prove a point. I erased my time line. In doing so I changed a lot of  
  
lives. Tobias was still a hawk, never having a sister. But I gave him  
  
someone, someone that helped him as I did. A best friend with a  
  
home life as screwed as Tobias'. I named her Maggie, I think it was  
  
fitting. And plus she looked exactly like me. Pure coincidence, I  
  
swear. Their story is a wonderful one. But, I don't have time for  
  
that. Perhaps I'll tell it someday.   
  
I returned my thoughts to my lost friends. Rachel and Tobias were  
  
proudly looking at their daughter take her first steps. Jake and  
  
Cassie were running after their two kids. Marco was trying to get  
  
out of a date. The Yeerks were gone. And as planned, humans were  
  
involved with the fight against them. But that was all in the future.  
  
For the present I see Tobias trying to catch breakfast. Rachel is  
  
staring out of her 2nd period class wondering if Tobias will ever be  
  
human. Jake is thinking about Cassie and visa versa. Marco was  
  
asleep. Ax was grazing wondering about his home planet, and what  
  
his family was doing.   
  
Me? I know my name is Maggie. But for the time being, you can  
  
call me the Ellimist.   
  
A/N: There you go. M&T is done. A very short ending I know, but  
  
I like it this way. . Give me your opinions and all  
  
that. 


End file.
